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Purdy Gear

There’s a reason Karla Van Horne’s cowboy shooting alias is “Purdy Gear,” it’s because she makes, well … purdy gear. With over 38 years of experience (she won the Al Stohlman Award for Leathercraft in 1989, the youngest recipient ever), Karla has that kind of talent that makes you think of the great masters and painting. When I first saw her work, I thought: “You can’t do that with leather!” But you can — if you’re Karla.

Karla has the artist’s eye and the skills of a master craftsman, but melds it with an understanding of the needs of someone who carries a gun. As she told me: